Purse light



May 4, 1955 D. L. EcHoLs ETAL 3,182,184

PURSE LIGHT Filed May a, i962 'DAWE I.. ECA-OLS I4 "4 Qoae-r s'. MNAR cH lo 1N Vg TORS ATTOIZ NEYS United States Patent O 3,182,184 PURSE LIGHT Davie L. Echols, 13908 Grace Ave., Robbins, Ill., and Robert J. Minarich, 452 S. Ottawa St., Joliet, Ill. Filed May 8, 1962, Ser. No. 193,187 3 Claims. (Cl. 240-6.45)

This invention relates to a novel electric light for purses and other portable bags having 'frames composed o-f pivoted sections which are movable toward and away Afrom each other.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an efficient, practical, compact and convenient device of the kind indicated, which occupies a minimum of usable space in Ithe purse or bag, and which is energized automatically by opening the purse or bag.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated above which is uncomplicated in structure, is composed of a small number of simple and easily assembled parts, and can be -made in rugged and well-finished 4forms and installed in a purse or bag, at relatively low cost.

Other impor-tant objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the laccompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a purse equipped with a light in accordance with the present invention, the purse being closed and the light de-energized;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE l, showing the contacts of the switch disen-gaged;

FIGURE 3 isa view like FIGURE 2, showing the purse open rand the switch contacts engaged; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the light assembly, per se.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral generally designates a pur-se which is equipped with a light assembly 12 of the present invention. The purse 10 comprises a fname which is composed of two similar first and second U-shaped sections 14 and 16, respectively, having longitudinal, normally horizontal channel cross members 18 having downwardly extending channel legs 20, at their ends, related legs 20 being pivoted together, as indicated at 22. A flexible cover or pouch 24 has upper side portions 26, secured to the frame sections 14 and 16, the cover having side walls 28 and end walls 30, which are secured, at their lower edges, to a bottom =wal1 3-2. The bottom wall 32 is lhere shown as being a relatively rigid panel, but can be, instead a flexible and an integral par-t of the cover. This purse structure forms no part of the invention, except in combination therewith.

The light assembly 12 is located in the pouch 24 adjacent to one end wall 30 thereof, and comprises two opposed lirst and second contact members 34 and 36, which are mounted on the legs of the purse lframe sections 14 and 16, respectively. The iirst contact member 34 comprises a vertically elongated, generally rectangular rigid dielectric material block 38 having the upper end of a conductive contact arm 40 embedded in i-ts lower end, the contact arm 40 -being resilient and of limited flexibility, extending downwardly at a slight laterally outward angle relative to the length of the block 38, and having a contact point 42, on its laterally inward side, at its lower end. The block 38 is inserted in the aperture of one leg of the first frame section 14, at the lower end of the leg, and is suitably secured in place, as by means of longitudinally spaced screws 44. The screws 44 pass through ICC the outer ange 46 of the said one leg of t-he section and are threaded into the block 38. This manner of install-ation of the contact members provides for easy installation, and removal thereof, for repair or replacement.

The second contact member 36 is reversed with respect to and is identical in construction and installation to the first con-tact member 34, except that its -block 38 carries, on the side thereof facing the rem-cte end wall 30 of the -pouch 24, a lamp bulb socket 48, into which a miniature electric lamp bulb 50 is screwed. One side of the socket 48 is connected by an insulated wire 52 to the contact arm of the contact member 36, and an insulated wire 54 leads from the other side of the socket 48.

Electrical energy for energizing the bulb 50 is supplied by one or more miniature electric batteries 56, enclosed within an open-sided dielectric material case 5S, preferably of plastic, which lies upon the pouch bottom wall, crosswise of the pouch, at the same end thereof as the contact members. The case 58 is secured removably in place by means of spaced upstanding arcuate spring clips 60 which are suitably secured upon the pouch bottom wall 32, and whose arms reach around the bottom wall 62 of the case 58, and grip the batteries 56.

The case 58 has upright end walls 64 and a top wall 66 which is parallel to the bottom wall 62. rIhe case 58 has similar but reversed first and second spring battery contactors 68 and 70, at its ends, which are of inverted L- shaped form, with their foot portion-s 72 embedded in the underside of the top wall 66, and their standards 74 engaged with the inner surfaces of the end walls 64 and having arcuate inwardly bowed terminals 76, on their lower ends, which are spaced from the end walls 64 and severally engage the base contact 78 and the center contact 80 of the battery or batteries 56.

The wire 54, leading from the second contact member 36, is connected to the second battery contactor 70, and the iirst battery contactor 68 is connected by a wire 82, to the contact arm 40 of the first contact member 34.

In operation, in the closed condition of the purse 10, as shown in FIGURE 2, the contact arms 40 and -40 are spread away from each other, so that the contact points 42 and 42 are out of contact with each other. When the purse if opened, as shown in FIGURE 3, the contact points are engaged with each other, the electrical circuit is closed and the bulb 50 is energized and illumines the interior of the purse and its contents.

Although there has been shown and described a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. In combination, a bag having a frame composed of two opposed inverted tU-shaped sections having cross members and downwardly extending legs, means pivoting the legs together at their lower ends at opposite ends of the frames, said legs having facing sides and remote sides, insulated electric contact arms tixed at their upper ends to the remote sides of the legs at one end of the frame, said arms extending below the lower ends of the same legs and having facing contacts on their lower ends, one of said contact arms comprising a bulb socket containing a light bulb, said socket having one side thereof connected to one of said contact arms, electric battery means supported within the bag and having opposite sides thereof severally connected to the remaining side of the bulb socket and to the other contact arm.

2. In combination, a bag having a frame composed of two opposed inverted U-shaped sections having cross members and downwardly extending legs, means pivoting the legs together at their lower ends at opposite ends of the frames, said legs having facing sides and remote sides, insulated electric contact arms fixed at their upper ends to the remote sides of the legs at oneend of the. frame, said arms extending below the lower ends of the same legs and having facing contacts on their lower ends, one of said contact arms comprising a bulb socket containing a light bulb, said socket having one side thereof connected to one of said contact arms, electric battery means supported within the bag and having opposite sides thereof severally connected to the remaining side of the bulb socket and to the other contact arm, said bulb socket being on the side of the said one contact arm facing the other end of the frame and spaced below the cross member of the related frame section.

3. In combination, a bag having a frame composed of two opposed inverted U-shaped sections having cross members and downwardly extending legs, means pivoting the legs together at their lower ends at opposite ends of the frames, said legs having facing sides and remote sides, insulated electric contact arms lfixed at their upper ends to the remote sides of the legs at one end of the frame, said arms extending below the lower ends of the same legs and having facing contacts on their lower ends, one of said contact arms comprising a bulb socket containing a light bulb, said socket having one side thereof connected to one of said Contact arms, electric battery means supported within the bag and having opposite sides thereof severally connected to the remaining side of the bulb socket and to the other contact arm, said bulb socket being on the side of the said one contact arm facing the other end of the frame and spaced below the cross member of the related frame section, said bag having a tlexible pouch secured to the frame section and having a bottom wall, and an end wall adjacent to said contact arms, said battery means being supported on the bottom wall of the pouch and extending along said end wall of the pouch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS NORTON ANSH'ER, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A BAG HAVING A FRAME COMPOSED OF TWO OPPOSED INVERTED U-SHAPED SECTIONS HAVING CROSS MEMBERS AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING LEGS, MEANS PIVOTING THE LEGS TOGETHER AT THEIR LOWER ENDS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE FRAMES, SAID LEGS HAVING FACING SIDES AND REMOTE SIDES, INSULATED ELECTRIC CONTACT ARMS FIXED AT THEIR UPPER ENDS TO THE REMOTE SIDES OF THE LEGS AT ONE END OF THE FRAME, SAID ARMS EXTENDING BELOW THE LOWER ENDS OF THE SAME LEGS AND HAVING FACING CONTACTS ON THEIR LOWER ENDS, ONE OF SAID CONTACT ARMS COMPRISING A BULB SOCKET CONTAINING A LIGHT BULB, SAID SOCKET HAVING ONE SIDE THEREOF CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID CONTACT ARMS, ELECTRIC BATTERY MEANS SUPPORTED WITHIN THE BAG AND HAVING OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF SEVERALLY CONNECTED TO THE REMAINING SIDE OF THE BULB SOCKET AND TO THE OTHER CONTACT ARM. 